It felt so two years ago. The out-out-town scoreboard flashed with the loss of a rival. The Coors Field crowd of 39,087, including John Elway, roared in approval.

Then, in an instant, the fans were reminded that this season is different, sprinkled with apprehension and panic. A three-run lead against the Brewers vanished in the ninth inning Tuesday night with Jason Kendall’s second home run of the season on Huston Street’s second blown save.

It only made for a better ending.

Forget TNT, the Rockies know drama. Their 7-5, 11-inning victory on Chris Iannetta’s pinch-hit, walkoff homer coupled with the Braves’ 5-4 loss to the Marlins was the equivalent of Pepto Bismol, soothing stomachs across the Rocky Mountain region.

“If it wasn’t for me, we would have won in nine innings,” Street said. “But that’s how this team is. Somebody picks you up. I-man delivered in a huge way. The victory is all that matters.”

Math, spooking them in recent days, is now the Rockies’ friend. Colorado owns a three-game advantage over the Braves for the National League wild card with five remaining. So the Rockies’ magic number is three, which means they need to go just 3-2 to clinch a playoff berth. A 2-3 mark would guarantee them at least a tie, resulting in a play-in game in Atlanta.

“We are in the driver’s seat,” Iannetta said. “We are in a good position.”

The nature of the victory was not that unusual, but the star was. Iannetta entered his at-bat with only four hits this month. He has become the forgotten catcher, with hot-hitting Yorvit Torrealba taking over.

Referencing a previous home run at-bat against David Weathers on July 31, Iannetta battled to a full count, barely checking his swing on the third ball. Using a new stance with a toe tap that he first used earlier this month, Iannetta crushed a 90 mph fastball into the right-field bullpen, conjuring up images of Ryan Spilborghs’ walkoff blast over the Giants on Aug. 24.

“This can be a season changer for him,” Todd Helton said.

The 2007 Rockies will linger forever like a first kiss. That World Series berth put fans over the moon. This team has been a developing romance, reuniting jilted lovers after a horrible start.

The Rockies’ performance against the Brewers was a snapshot of why they are being chased. They received solid starting pitching, played good defense and delivered clutch hits.

Other than Street’s misplaced slider — he reacted in disbelief as it cleared the fence — the Rockies muzzled the Brewers.

Jason Marquis, pitching for a postseason rotation spot, delivered a strong performance. He owned a 7.71 ERA in his last three starts, raising doubts about whether he could be counted on in the playoffs.

He was more grit than glitz Tuesday. He relied heavily on his slider early in the game. But after falling behind 2-1 and absorbing boos, Marquis adjusted. He had better dive on his fastball in his last three innings, facing just 10 hitters.

“Once I found my release point in the third inning, it was like my heart stopped,” Marquis said. “I knew I was going to be fine. This was a big win for us.”

Troy E. Renck: 303-954-1301 or trenck@denverpost.com

Rockies’ walkoff wonders

Another game at Coors Field, another walkoff hit. Here’s the rundown this season:

Troy is a former Denver Broncos and Colorado Rockies beat writer for The Denver Post. He joined the news organization in 2002 as the Rockies' beat writer and became a Broncos beat writer in 2014 before assuming the lead role ahead of the 2015 season. He left The Post in 2015.

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